If you put R.E.M., Elliott Smith, Cat Stevens, The Byrds, Duncan Sheik, Death Cab for Cutie and Ben Folds into a musical cocktail, you might emerge with a Steven Mark album.

Blending poetic introspective lyrics, with layered instrumentations and lush vocal harmonies, Steven Mark’s songs explore themes of isolation, mortality, regret, redemption, and at times, politics and culture. All set to melodies that go straight to the heart and stay inside your head.

Allmusic.com described his songs as “music by someone who actually has something to say and knows how to say it,” and that Steven Mark has “a pensive voice that wistfully gets his point across.”

After releasing four albums in a span of six years, Steven Mark took a hiatus to explore other interests. He’s now making a return to music with his new release The Long Goodbye. The five-song song EP, recorded remotely during the 2020 quarantine, with his longtime producer Matt Wilcox, is more piano driven and stripped-down than his past releases and incorporates string arrangements composed by classical violinist Audrey Morse.

Born and raised in the Chicago area, Steven Mark lives in New York City where he has performed at The Bitter End, Rockwood Music Hall, The Sidewalk Café and other intimate venues. His songs have appeared in MTV’s Real World, and the films 3-Day Weekend, Midnight Movie and Long Term Relationship.